This disclosure relates generally to a method of airfoil array assembly and, more particularly, to a fixture that locates selected airfoils during assembly.
Turbomachines, such as a gas turbine engines, typically include a fan section, and a core engine section including a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section. The compressor section typically includes low and high-pressure compressors, and the turbine section includes low and high-pressure turbines.
The high-pressure turbine drives the high-pressure compressor through an outer shaft to form a high spool, and the low pressure turbine drives the low-pressure compressor through an inner shaft to form a low spool. A direct drive gas turbine engine includes a fan section driven by the low spool such that the low-pressure compressor, low-pressure turbine, and fan section rotate at a common speed in a common direction. A speed reduction device such as an epicyclical gear assembly may be utilized to drive the fan section such that the fan section may rotate at a speed different than the turbine section so as to increase the overall propulsive efficiency of the engine.
Some front architectures support the stator vanes relative to inner and outer fairings using rubber potting. Because there are no fixed features or fasteners used to secure vanes within the fairings, assembly can be difficult and time consuming. Replacing potted vanes in an existing assembly during repair, for example, is also difficult and complex. Alignment features in the existing assembly may make loading a partial airfoil array difficult.